


Just Another High School AU

by Agehron



Category: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Bay Movies), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, F/M, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, M/M, No sexy time, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-06
Updated: 2020-05-12
Packaged: 2021-03-02 18:01:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,110
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24030970
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Agehron/pseuds/Agehron
Summary: Raph and April have been friend since kindergarten, through both their father's deaths and the long sting of foster families April has been in. Sick of seeing Raph rush to help her from a family issue, Leo takes April in.Hopefully those two will finally realize how stupid they are for each other.
Relationships: April O'Neil/Raphael (TMNT), Leonardo/Miyamoto Usagi
Comments: 2
Kudos: 12





	1. Chapter 1

Leo groaned as he felt someone shaking him awake. Blinking off sleep, he saw his younger brother crouching down, concern on his face. 

“Hey man, sorry to wake you up, but Ace just called. Seems like that fuckhead of a Foster Father kicked her out again.” Leo was awake instantly, climbing out of bed. 

“How long ago?” He asked, looking outside. He grimaced as lighting lit up his room, followed by a roll of thunder. Of course the fucker would kick her out on a night like tonight. 

“Five minutes tops.” Raph replied as Leo pulled a shirt on. The younger turtle waited for him to get ready, shifting nervously from on foot to another. “I told Don, Mike’s dead to the world.” Leo nodded, pulling on his shoes and grabbing his wallet and keys. 

“Good. We shouldn’t be too long.” 

A few minutes later he found Raph’s friend huddled under a bus stop, drenched and shivering, her ears pinned close to her head and tail curled around her waist. Leo’s heart twisted as he pulled over, Raph climbing out to help her with her stuff. It hurt seeing his younger brother’s best friend looking like this, no matter how many times it happened. 

Raph settled her in the back seat that was covered in towels, wrapping her in one as he talked softly to her, pressing his face to hers.

Leo held back a snort as he watched Raph fuss over the little mybrid mix. Raph was stupid for the little vixen, even if he didn’t say anything about it.

“He hurt you?” Leo asked as the younger turtle settled in beside her. She shook her head.

“He-he tired, but couldn’t. Millie heard him yelling at me and came to see what was happening. You know he doesn’t want to look like the bad guy in front of her.” The eldest turtle nodded as he moved back onto the road. 

“Usagi’s on duty tonight, I’ll call him once we get home. At least warn him.” He sighed, tapping his fingers on the steering wheel as the rain continued to pour down. The vixen in the back was quiet, and Leo could hear Raph muttering softly to her, a quick glance in the mirror tell him he had her pulled close, her head tucked under his chin. 

The light was on when they got back- Don must have woken up after they had left. Leo helped Raph with April’s things, ignoring her protests that she could help as well. 

There was the faint scent of coffee in the air as Leo headed to the kitchen, Raph taking April to the guest room that only she really used.

“We’ll have something for you to change into when you get out.” Raph said as he shoved her into the guest bathroom. “Now warm yourself up before you get hypothermia or something.” April made a sound of protest, but Raph just closed the door, joining his brothers in the kitchen. 

Don was nursing a cup of coffee, Leo making his own, when he came in. Raph went to the fridge, digging out leftovers from dinner and a few other things before tossing them on a plate and into the microwave. 

“She okay?” Don asked cautiously. Raph was known for his temper, especially when it came to April. He growled, muscles tense as he held on to the counter.

“Physically? Fine. The Fucker is an ass, but he knows better than to hit her. Mentally? This is what- fourteen, fifteen families that have left her since her Dad died? She can’t take it anymore.”

“She won’t.” Leo assured from over his own coffee. “She’s going to stay here with us. Everyone in that department knows we’re the one she comes to every time this bullshit happens. She’s old enough to be an emancipated minor, and I’ll work with our lawyers to write out a contract to rent the room. That way she won’t have to wprry about working while still at school.” He looked out the window, the rain finally having subsided. “Dad tried to do that before he died, but they refused because of his illness.” 

“I never knew that.” Raph muttered softly, making two more mugs up. 

“Yah, it was a pretty stupid reason.” April answered as she came into the kitchen, wrapped in a robe, heading straight to the coffee, taking it from Raph as the microwave beeped. 

“Sit down and eat.” He scolded her pushing her into a chair, getting the plate. April took it eagerly, ears twitching at the smell. 

“I will never refuse Mikey’s cooking.” She muttered, stuffing her face. Leo studied her, frowning as he noticed the faint hollowness of her cheeks, side eying Don, who had a similar look on his face. 

“So when did they last feed you?” He asked casually, studying the coffee. 

“Two days maybe? I have a lunch account, so I can get food from school, but…” She trailed off, realizing what she was saying. 

“Two days?” Leo said, trying to keep his voice even. He stood, placing his mug in the sink as he tried to keep his temper. 

“You two are staying home tomorrow.” He told Raph and April. “We’re going to Child Services first thing to get what we need straitened out. I’m sure you can handle Mike, right Don?” The other turtle nodded. 

“No problem. I’ll get what homework they miss.” Don yawned, putting his own mug in the sink. He looked to April. “You’re okay, right?” The vixen smiled, nodding. 

“I’m fine now. Just need a good night’s sleep.” She assured him. “Thank you Don.” He nodded, heading out of the room to sleep before school started. 

The room was quiet as April finished the food, Raph sitting close to her. He took her free hand, squeezing it. 

“I’m sorry you were kicked out again.” He whispered. April smiled at him, resting her head against his pastron. 

He held her close, pressing his face to her hair as Leo quietly left the room.

“It’s okay.” She assured him. “I’m with you and your family, everything will be fine.”

He held her close, pressing his face to her hair as Leo quietly left the room.


	2. Chapter 2

The next morning Leo found Raph’s bed empty, but he knew exactly where to go. Following the smell of coffee and food, he found the two older teens curled up on the couch together. April had herself buried against Raph, his arms tight around her. 

He frowned at the faint line of dried tears on her face, stroking her hair. She shifted, making a soft noise as she opened her eyes. 

“Morning Leo.” She muttered, stretching and yawning, waking up his brother. 

“Hey you.” He smiled, affection in his tone. “Feeling okay?” April nodded, climbing off the couch. 

“I’m fine, thank you. The nightmares that always come after this stuff.” The older turtle frowned, hugging her. Her father’s death had been traumatic for her. She had found her Father’s body when their house had caught fire when she was eight. Her mother had been long gone by then, off to where ever with her current boyfriend. 

The woman never came back for the funeral or for her daughter. A few weeks later she sent a certified letter that released her to the care of the state. 

And so began April’s long string of Foster Families. It always ended in the state taking her away to a ‘better’ home or the family kicking her out. Between them she had sporadic stays with his family. 

Their adopted father, Yoshi, had tried to take her in, but the state had refused. Their reasoning was the old rat had enough on his hands with Leo and his brothers. 

“Breakfast is ready.” Mikey called from the kitchen as Don came stumbling from his room and Raph sat up, yawning into his hand. April went into the kitchen, fussing. 

“Mikey, why didn’t you get me? I could have helped.” She scolded the youngest, who hugged her. 

“I can can handle breakfast.” He laughed, hugging her. “Besides, I learned something new in class yesterday and I wanted to try it out!” April smiled, returning the hug. 

“Whatever it is, it smells amazing.” She went to the coffee pot, frowning at it’s slow progress and banged on it a few times. 

“It’s time to lay this ones to rest.” She muttered as the ancient thing finally kicked to life. 

“We were going to,” Don started. "But then Mike needed money for class, and Raph has that field trip he has to go to, and…” Leo cut Don off with a sharp look.

“I could get one.” April offered. “I AM staying here for whatever amount of time, it’s the least I could do.” Leo sighed, looking at the dying machine he and his brothers almost depended on. Even though he knew April wasn’t showing off her trust fund allowance, his pride protested the offer. He squashed it down, telling it that she was staying there for an unknown amount of time. What was the harm in letting help with a few things that they did need? If anything, it could go with her when she left and by then he could get them some cheap one.

“That would be wonderful.” Leo told her, smiling. “We can go after we figure out what’s going on.” Breakfast soon finished, Don and Mikey rushing off to the bus. Once they were gone, the older three heading over to the town hall where the police station was at. 

“You missed Officer Miyamoto.” The woman at the counter told them as they walked in. “But Detective Jones is here and he caught him up on what’s going on.” Leo thanked her and ushered the two into the office she indicated. 

“Again?” The man asked as they came into the room. April flinched, flushing. “What’s their excuse this time?” April’s eyes flashed to Raph’s, who gave her a nod of encouragement. 

“I was starting my college stuff. You know I want to go into journalism, and NYU has a good one. He didn’t like that I was applying for it. Wanted me to go into nursing or ‘something for women’.” She sighed, looking down. The detective groaned, rubbing his head. 

“Even though you’re paying your own way through school?” April shrugged, moving over to Raph for comfort. Casey looked thoughtful, tapping his fingers to the desk. “Did he hurt you ever?” 

“No, he only kept kinda treating me like I was lesser because I’m not a guy and stuff.” Casey looked to them, eye brow raised. 

“Then what do you need me for?” He asked.

“Don’t you need to tell her caseworker? Find a new family?” Leo looked confused. Casey snorted. 

“She’s eighteen. She could have left whenever she wanted. Hell, I had half excepted them to kick her out at eighteen. Guess they liked having her allowance too much to get rid of her.” April groaned, pressing her face to her hands. 

“How did I forget that?” She groaned. “It feels like I’m younger since Mother insisted on holding me back before kindergarten.” Casey snorted. 

“Did you get everything from their place last night or do you need anyone to go over with you?” April shook her head.

“I have everything I want from there. I can always get stuff if I need it.” She assured him. Casey looked to Leo. 

“She’s staying with you then?” He asked the turtle mybrid, who nodded. 

“Yah, we have a room for her that has a private bathroom that she always uses when she’s with us.” Leo assured the detective. “She’ll be better off with us.”

“Been saying that for years now.” Casey muttered, leaning back. “But the State felt otherwise.” 

“Thanks Casey, sorry to bother you.” Leo gave him a small bow, before ushering the two teenagers out the door.

“Hey, Miyamoto wants you to call him tonight!” Casey called out as they left. “Says you owe him dinner!” Leo flushed as Raph and April snickered. The Oldest turtle had it bad for the Rabbit Mybrid, even if he wouldn’t admit it. 

“Don’t even.” Leo hissed, turning to the two teenagers. They gave him matching innocent grins.

“Wouldn’t dream about it.” April said, starting to skip out of the station. “Come on, let’s get that coffee pot.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Now we get onto the lighter stuff

“Oh thank god school’s finally over.” April groaned, slamming her locker shut for the last time before summer break. “And to think we’re going to be Seniors next year.” Raph nodded, tossing a few old papers into a nearby bin. 

“Yeah. It’s a good thing Leo pays me for helping out at the school, gonna need the money for all the extra crap we got going on. Pictures, Homecoming, the cap and gown, Prom…”April grinned, an ear cocked. 

“Prom, huh? Who are you gonna ask?” She teased as they left the building. Raph went red, sputtering. 

“I don’t know, it’s not for another year!” He sputtered as the headed to the family car. “Hey, don’t forget we got to wait for Don.” April shrugged, tossing anything she wanted to keep into the trunk of the car. 

“It’s cool.” She smiled before looking back to the school. “Damn it feels weird. Only one year of school left?” Raph nodded. 

“I gotta start looking into scholarships and stuff. Dad left us a each a bit of money for school, but not enough. Coach says I might be able to get a wrestling scholarship if I get us to states again, maybe a full ride offer to an in state school.”

“In State? I though you wanted to go out west? Get away from here before you get sucked into teaching with Leo for the rest of your life?” Raph shrugged. 

“I know, but Leo will still need my help with Don and Mike, and help with the school. I could probably use it to help with some of my classes since I’m going into sports medicine you know?” He smiled as she studied him, tail twitching lazily as she listened to him talk. “Besides, why would I leave you here all by yourself? I’d miss all the fun you’ll be getting into.” 

“Fun or trouble?” She shot back, green-gold eyes bright. He shrugged.

“Both? I just think it would be better for me to stay here. In State’s cheaper anyway if I don’t get a full ride. And who knows, maybe I’ll join the National Guard. They offer free In State.” April hummed, nodding.

“You’d like it I think. It’s a lot of work, but I think you’d like it. And the In State thing is always a plus.” 

“What about you?” Raph asked, basking in th late spring sunshine. “Still going to NYU?” April nodded.

“Dad was an Alumni there, so it might help me get accepted, and they have a fantastic Journalism Program, all the way up to Masters. I could start off with an Bachelors and move on from there. Get a job at one of the local news stations, become an invetsigative reporter. Make Dad proud.”

Raph rubbed his friend’s head. 

“I think he’ll be proud of you no matter what. You’re my best friend Ace, you’re smart and stick to what you believe is right. It might get you into trouble, but you still stick to it.” He gave her a small half-hug. April returning it.

“Thanks Raph.” She muttered softly, nuzzling his arm. “That means a lot, you know?” He just smiled, rubbing her ears. They stayed that way in silence until an irritated voice interrupted them.

“Can you two please behave?” Don rolled his eyes at the way his brother and April were looking at each other. Really, those two were so dense it wasn’t funny. People who didn’t even know them assumed they were dating if not more. “It’s embarrassing.”

“And you going on about some AI Sex robot isn’t.” Raph retorted, eyes teasing as his younger brother tossed is own bag in the back of the car.

“It was a HELPER robot, not a sex robot!” Don protested, flushing. April’s smile turned wicked.

“Oh yah, ‘helper robot’. Didn’t know that helper robot needed size Z boobs to help people around the house.” She laughed. “There’s only one thing she’s ‘helping’ with.” Raph laughed openly as Don turned more red. 

“They had a use!” He stammered. “For storage!”

“He was storing something between those massive things alright.” Raph made a crude gesture what it was. 

“I can’t believe you two!” Don almost flung himself into the car, slamming the door shut as the two older teens almost fell off the hood laughing. 

“Come on Ace, we gotta pick up Mikey.” Raph breathed as he calmed down. “Maybe take to two chuckle heads out for ice cream.” April nodded, standing upright and stretching, not noticing Raph turn away, flushing slightly when her shirt rose up, showing her muscled stomach underneath.

“Ice Cream sounds freaking amazing.” April agreed as she climbed into the car. “With caramel and nuts .” Don made a face. 

“How do you eat that stuff? It just sounds ughhh…” April snorted.

“I’m a fox mybrid mix, I can eat just about anything.” She rolled the window down all the way. “Though Jim’s does have those really good fried bananas too…” Raph shook his head. 

“You and Mikey both are bottomless pits.” He teased as they left the school. The vixen just stretched her long body, side-eying her friend. 

“We’re still growing.” She defended with a slight lash of her tail. “We need our foods.” 

“Keep eating junk like that and you’ll end up looking like that plush of yours. Nothing but a big ball with stubby legs sticking out.” Don interjected, April gasping in mock horror. 

“You leave Bandit out of this!” She demanded, though her ears betrayed her playfulness rather then any actual irritation. “He can’t help how he looks, he was made that way.” 

“And not any of any tea parties you drug us all to helped him, you feeding us whatever you could steal from the kitchen.” Don shot back. 

“You LIKED those tea parties Mr. ‘I’m gonna slip change potion X’ into the tea! Didn’t you try to gender swap Mikey once because you wanted a little sister instead?” 

“YOU PROMISED NEVER TO TELL THAT!” Don yelled, eyes wide in mortification. 

“Well that was before you insulted Bandit AND my tea parties.” April shoot back as Raph just shook his head, wondering how he ended up with such a crazy family.


	4. Chapter 4

Raph made a soft, happy sound as he stretched out in the chair, letting the sun warm his shell and scales. He loved summer, when he could relax and live by the nice little freshwater pool their father had built for them when they first came to live with him. He was about to doze off when a dripping wet body flopped on him, cold from the water. 

“What the hell Ace?” He screeched turning to look at her. 

“You’re warm.” Came the pouted reply, the vixen nuzzling his arm contentedly. “And I’m cold.”

“Well get your own chair!” He tried to push her off, but she clung to him. Getting an idea, he smirked, and stood. “Well, I guess if I’m already wet I might as well get into the pool.” 

“Wait, what are you-” April was cut off when Raph jumped into the deep end of the pool, taking her with him. She finally let go, pushing herself to the surface. 

“What the fuck Raph?” She coughed up water. 

“Payback.” he said simply, leaning back and casually swimming around. April huffed, but made her way to the seats that lined one side of the water. 

“You got work tonight?” She asked casually, leaning her head back to let the sun warm her face. 

“Not tonight. It’s all the higher belts and he has Karai and Usagi to help him.” 

“How about we grill than? It’s a nice day to.” Raph contemplated it as he watched a few clouds drift lazily across the sky. 

“I’m down. You know Mikey’s always down. Maybe we can get Don to help with some stuff.” Raph joined her on the seats, an arm going around her back. “It’s a damn shame we can’t drink yet.” April laughed. 

“Yah, if only we were born thirty to fourty years earlier, I could get us booze.” Raph made a face.

“Nah, booze ain’t worth loosing Google for.” April gave him a side-eyed look.

“JUST Google?” Came the disbeleiving reply. 

“Dude that last essay for Government was brutal. I don’t think I would have written it with only a few books. Our libraries are shit.”

“If you paid attention in class you would have known half of it.” April rolled her eyes. 

“Why? That’s what I have you for.” Came the retort as he playfully splashed her with water. “Not exactly gonna need social sciences in what I want to do.”

“Shouldn’t you have basic understanding on how it works?” April asked, eyebrow raised. Raph just shrugged.

“What’s it gonna matter? Everyone is on one side ot the other, they’re not gonna compromise and they say whatever it will take to get elected.” April shook her head. It was an argument they’d had plenty of times, but she could kind of get where he was coming from. 

“Oh did you hear? Mrs. Jacobs ran off with Frank McCoy.” Raph turned to her in shock.

“What? Are you kidding me?” April shook her head. 

“Nah man, all over Facebook this morning. Seems they’ve been having a thing.” 

“Why her? She’s like forty.” There was a shrug. 

“Guess he likes them older. He is eighteen now, and from what I got he denied them doing anything until his Birthday.” 

“That’s freaking crazy.” The turtle shook his head as Don and Mikey came outside, the youngest carrying a box of Popsicles. April perked up, smiling.

“Did I ever tell you you’re my favorite after Raph?” The vixen hammed it up, eying the box. The young turtle just laughed, shaking his head. 

“You said that to Don a week ago when he fixed your scooter.” He shot back, sitting on the edge of the pool, feet dangling in the water. 

“I can change favorites.” April pouted as Mike opened the box, passing the two older teens one of the frozen treats.

“What about me?” Raph demanded, eyes playful as he dangled April’s Popsicle above her head. 

“Come on, you know you’ll always be my Uber-Favorite.” Came the protest as she tried to reach for it.

“Oh, so now you have Uber-favorites.” Don chimed in from the solar panel he had built, checking the outputs.

“I don’t think she deserves this.” Raph huffed, handing Mike the Popsicle back as April protested. 

“You’re all mean.” She pouted, lip jutted comically out. Mike tossed it to her, laughing. 

“Come on man, do do that to her.” Mike joked, elbowing him, but shooting his brother a sharp look. Raph winced, remembering that one of her recent Fosters had withdrawn food as a punishment, and she sometimes still had problems with it. 

“Fuck Ace,I’m sorry, I forgot…” April looked at him, ears skewed. 

“Forgot what?” She asked in a tone that said she knew he didn’t mean it. “That I’m a growing fox?” She unwrapped it, taking the entire thing in her mouth, enjoying it. Raph looked away, flushing at the sight, trying to block out other images from his head. 

“So Mike.” Raph cleared his throat, looking to the younger brother. “Me and Ace were talking about doing a cook out tonight, you game?” Mike’s eyes lit up. 

“That sounds great? Think I can invite Leatherhead over? He makes a great Pasta Salad and I think he’d like to come…” Raph rubbed Mike’s head, the smaller turtle protesting. 

“Go ahead, it would be nice to see him again. Him and Don can nerd it up. What about Rentet?” Mike stuck out his tongue. 

“She had to go with her folks on some sort on Ancestry trip thing. ‘A trip through time’ They call it. According to her. All she’s seen is nothing but illegible gravestones.” Mike flopped back, playing with the stick. 

“Don’t worry man, she’ll be back before summer’s over and we’ll have a big party. Maybe take a day when Leo, Karai and Usagi all got the day off.”

Mike smiled. “That would be so cool. Maybe get a Island theme…wait, that’s over done… oh! Maybe a…no…” April laughed, nudging Raph with her shoulder.

“Easy Man, we got all summer to work it out, Let’s just enjoy ourselves.”


End file.
